Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Oenothera biennis Use as a medicinal plant

Use as a medicinal plant

Already, the North American Indians used the common evening primrose as a medicinal plant.

In natural medicine has today all the evening primrose oil a meaning. This derived from the seeds of evening primrose oil fat is used to treat and for the symptomatic relief of atopic dermatitis within. It contains large amounts of cis-linoleic acid, which is converted in the human body by the enzyme delta-6 desaturase in gamma-linolenic acid. From this results in a further enzymatic process dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid. From it, the body forms prostaglandin E1, which is involved in many functions of the cells. In atopic dermatitis is a shortage of these are important for human metabolism of gamma-linolenic acid, because the delta-6 desaturase has a deficient enzyme activity. The permits in evening primrose oil in a concentration of between 8-14% contained gamma-linolenic acid the formation of effective anti-inflammatory prostaglandin E1 without delta-6 desaturase-mediated conversion of cis-linoleic acid into gamma-linolenic acid. Because evening primrose oil is very expensive, however, is increasingly used as a substitute hemp oil.

The crushed seeds of Commons evening primrose can be directly applied to the skin rashes.
Source: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemeine_Nachtkerze